SI Forums A Testimony For Christ?

Brothers and Sisters,

I think we need to realize the forums are not here for our own desires but it is here as a place for "others" to encourage them and to see ourselves used to help other people. It is a place to learn, to grow, to submit. Yes submission on the sermonindex.net forums is an important aspect of learning the way of Christ. The site has "moderators" and also "guidelines and rules" that help us to submit to the practice and way we post in the forums on SI.

Many forums all over the web have really no "strong" rules and people are free to post what they feel like posting in a very dangerous manner. Arguing, divisions, anger, bitterness, fustration, etc can happen easily in these enviroments.

God has kept the sermonindex.net forums by His spirit over the last 8 years. I have had many testimonies of brothers and sisters that share there is something "different" about the SI forums compared to others on the internet amongst christians.

Are we losing this testimony in any way saints? My prayer and desire is for us to seriously consider how we are posting. Do we share some of the basic burdens of the SI ministry, ie Leonard Ravenhill, Tozer, 10 shekels and a shirt, revival hymn, etc. I believe one of the problems is that many people are "new" and have not listened to many of the godly sermons on the website that would produce in them the meekness, humility, submissive spirit that is "key" to see a internet forum have the bond of peace and have a testimony for Christ.

I am not pointing fingers at all and I hope if God touches your heart that you would talk with him about how you have been posting, ie the motive.

God bless you all brothers and sisters. God willing we will be posting more materials and guidelines for the forums so people can be more accurately informed on how to participate.

I am thankful for the many brothers and sisters from all different backgrounds that have and do post on the forums.

Just so you saints know I posted this in this thread but felt it needed more readership so I posted it as its own thread and locked the other thread here:

Posting on SI With Seriousness and Intention
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=36336&forum=16

Amen brother. And may I also suggest that if there was a spirit of love poured out on the forums then we would serve one another and also prefer each other before our own selves. I am needing of this grace daily!

May God continue to make these forums a place of fruitfulness for the posters and the readers.

Psalm 141

LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.

But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.

Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.

God has kept the sermonindex.net forums by His spirit over the last 8 years. I have had many testimonies of brothers and sisters that share there is something "different" about the SI forums compared to others on the Internet amongst Christians.

Within the body of Christ, problems do arise. When we look at the early Church how that Peter had a mind to be partial towards the Gentiles when the Jews came around. There was also neglect in the daily ministration for the Grecian widows. Paul had to send many corrections to all the churches but the Corinthian Church stood out the most for problems, but they were all God's children.

No, SI is not a Church, but the Church come together here, and no one can deny that.

Within SI, It's Jesus, it's the problems, it's the bible studies, it's the learning, it's the testimonies, it's the apologies, it's the admonishing, it's the encouragings, it's the reasonings, it's the PMing, it's the love, it's discussions, it's the sharing, it's the utterances, it's the thinking, it's the friendships. It's all these things and more that make up this forum, for we are all people that need to express ourselves. We need to be known to one another. And what family doesn't have problems? And what family doesn't pull together when someone outside of ourselves is in need? What family doesn't sometimes disagree?

Sermon Index has love, it has the spirit of charisma. And when something bad comes along, it's dealt with, that is why there are moderators.

I wish that we could all have one belief, that our doctrine would be all correct and our teachings would be all dotted and our T's crossed,, but then we would be robots. And then SI would be a boring place to be, it will be just like some other forums that I have seen, dead, dry and lifeless.

Do we share some of the basic burdens of the SI ministry, ie Leonard Ravenhill, Tozer, 10 shekels and a shirt, revival hymn, etc. I believe one of the problems is that many people are "new" and have not listened to many of the godly sermons on the website that would produce in them the meekness, humility, submissive spirit that is "key" to see a internet forum have the bond of peace and have a testimony for Christ.

If people were to hear these great preachers, there should produce in them (as you said) a meekness, humility and submissive spirit that should flow into the forums. And it's surmised that if there is none of these traits in the forums than people are not listening to the messages.

Then may I suggest that you radically alter the forums to just talk about what these ministers have preached and what the believer has heard that has blessed him and transcribe that in the forums. All other forum headings, "Scripture and Doctrine", "General Topics", would be removed that way avoiding the topics of "Scripture and Doctrine" that come in that only produce dissension and debate. "Article and Sermons" would become more of a meaningful forum and it would serve this sites intentions.

It would also weed out anyone who is not interested in the preachers that this site represents.

Besides with Scripture and Doctrine, there is enough information in the archives that anyone can go over if they like, because every topic under the sun has been discussed and also, the same one's crop up every 6 months under a different title and it goes through the same thing each and every time.

Brother Christaan (hmmhmm) has compiled a list of those discussions which should be a permanent fixture on the side panel of this website, a possible title could be, "Past Discussions".

Without scripture and doctrine what sets us straight.

Speaking only for myself, i have grown immensely by others sharing their views under this section. Though we may all be adamant regarding what we believe, talk is cheap unless it hits the street.

The saddest thing about the internet is that we cannot really do much to 'reach out and touch' another in the way we can with those whom we live with and others whom share in the dailies of our lives.is such a good

i dunno if that is such a good idea. If nothing else it scripture and doctrine opens horizons in a way that doesn't happen with people you share the very same teachings with (at church for example).

whatcha' think M?

g

Without scripture and doctrine what sets us straight.

Hello friends.

I thank God for the patience He has placed in dear Brother Greg. He is so meek and unassuming that you can often forget that this is his ministry in the Lord. Most of us here have been brought here by dear brother Greg's ministry, who by God's grace has made the resource of all these sermons free for everyone. People would have paid good money to have all these resources in one place like this and our Brother would be a very wealthy man by now. This to me is one of the marks of great grace and maturity, that deserves to be heard and appreciated.

Most have a specific ministry or speaker they prefer but Brother Greg listens to such a wide spectrum of messages and regularly comments on them. In fact for me, the mark of whether a message is good or not is often if Greg has said something about the speaker. In this regard I feel that we all should be more submissive to Brother Greg.

I just reread the community rules and noticed that it has had to be edited more than once, to adjust to the ever evolving challenges in the forums. We would all do well to reread these rules every so often. Again it saddens me that just recently Greg has had to bring this topic up twice (the other being on guidelines on how to post) in addition to the already detailed and well considered community rules. This is serious work and ministry stuff here. Apart from Greg and his moderator and perhaps a handful of others I doubt if most of pray for this difficult ministry. We do need to pray, we need to pause and consider, Jesus is coming very soon.

It's just an idea but may I suggest the prayerfull consideration of a three day three night lock on all the threads, with a deep emphasis on meditating on the community rules. Such a move would be announced in advance for say one week of course. During that time those who have a burden to intercede for sermonindex can and should. I believe such a move would be cleansing and sobering.

This move would in no way a punishment for bad behaviour on the forums but the bigger picture would be for sanctification unto the Lord. We sanctify ourselves and our posts for the glory of Christ.

I have not wrote any posts in years but I have never left sermonindex. I have been a quiet observer as many great saints have come and gone because some people are just plain rude and impetuous. That doesn't glorify Christ at all. I feel we need to stop and focus for just three days while we read again the community rules. This I believe would bring fresh unction and possible even shed light on what the real core problems are in discussions. People during this time can email you what they would like to see as rules and how they want them enforced. Greg would then prayerfully consider and perhaps post some of the good suggestions for discussion after the three days.

Watch and pray.
James

Dear brother, thank you for your kindness and your thoughts and admonitions in this post.